Shelf for bedsteads



y 1951 R. H. MCMURTRIE 2,551,151

SHELF FOR BEDST EADS Filed Aug. 19, 1948 M/ 7 Robert H. McMur/r/ aINVENTOR.

Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHELF FOR BEDSTEADSRobert H. McMurtrie, Huntingburg, Ind.

Application August 19, 1948, Serial No. 45,012

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in shelves for bedsteads, theprimary object in view being to provide the head section of a bedsteadwith a rear shelf of adequate width for books, and the like, andoccupying a minimum of space behind the head section.

Another object is to provide the head section of a bedstead With such ashelf disposed flush with the top edge of the section so that said edgeforms an extension section of the shelf over which articles, such asbooks, may be slid forwardly off the shelf, .easily and quickly by anoccupant of the bed.

Still another object is to provide means for quickly and easilyattaching such a shelf to the head posts of a bedstead so that the shelfis strong and secure, adapted for detachment at will, and will notvibrate so as to rattle.

Other and subordinate objects, within the purview of my invention,together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readilyunderstood when the succeeding description and claim are read withreference to the drawing accompanying and forming part of thisspecification.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustrating my inventionin a preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a similar view, drawn to a smaller scale, illustrating thehead section with the shelf detached;

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the shelf and attaching meansdisassembled;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View in vertical section illustrating theshelf attached by the attaching means, and drawn to a still largerscale.

Referring now to the drawing by numerals, according to my invention, asillustrated, a shelf I is provided on the rear side of a bedstead headsection 2 having side posts 3, preferably rectangular, and connected bya lower bed frame board 4 and an upper flat crown bar 5 fitted flat ontop of said posts 3 flush with the front and rear sides of said posts.

The shelf I is of the requisite length to extend from side to side ofthe head section 2 and is detachably attached to the posts 3 level withthe top of the crown bar 5, with one longitudinal edge fitting againstsaid bar, and through the medium of the attaching means now to bedescribed.

The attaching means comprises a pair of angle brackets 6, which, likethe shelf I, are preferably formed of wood, and are suitably secured, ina manner not shown, to the ends of the shelf I with vertical edges '1adapted to fit flat against the rear side of the crown bar 5 and therear sides of the posts 3. The vertical edges I of the angle brackets 6are recessed, as at 8, and fitted in said recesses 8 is a pair ofattaching plates 9 retained in the recesses 8 by cross pins I0 andhaving, respectively, a pair of vertically spaced, coplanar, down-turnedhooks I I extending out of the recesses 8. Ihe pairs of hooks I I areadapted to fit in longitudinal rear slots I2 in the posts 3 and overpairs of vertically spaced cross pins I3 in said posts 3 traversing theslots I2. The slots I2 are provided with longitudinal concave, verticalbottoms I3, one of which is shown in Figure 4, providing for the pairsof hooks II being inserted downwardly in said slots and over the crosspins I3 with the pairs of hooks II holding the vertical edges 1 of theangle brackets 15 tight against the posts 3 and the shelf I tightagainst the crown bar 5, the pairs of hooks II fitting tight between thecross pins I3 and the bottoms it of the slots I2 so that the shelf I issecurely held against vibration, or rattling, but may be detached bymerely lifting the same.

As will now be seen, when the shelf I is attached, as described, thecrown bar 5 forms a flush extension section of the shelf so that theshelf may be comparatively narrow but at the same time a relatively widesupporting surface is provided without taking up too much room in therear of the head section I and thereby necessitating spacing said headsection far from a wall, or the like. As will also be apparent, theattaching plates 9, hooks II and the cross pins I0, I3 form parts of theattaching means substantially hidden from view in the angle brackets 6and the posts 3 with the cross pins l3 and hooks I I interlocked so asto prevent casual displacement of the shelf I.

- The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clearunderstanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification,without departing from the inventive concept, and right is hereinreserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appendedclaim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A head section of a bed having side posts and a flat crown bar on top ofsaid posts, a shelf, and means to detachably attach said shelf to saidposts in the rear of said section level with said crown bar and againstthe same whereby said bar forms an extension section of said shelf,

3 4 said means comprising end brackets on said REFERENCES CITED Shelfhooks on Sald brackets and cross pms m The following references are ofrecord in the said posts over which said hooks are fitted, said file ofthis patent; posts having slots therein in which said hooks and pins arehidden from view, said hooks fit- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS ting tightbetween the cross pins and the bot- Number Name Date toms ofsaid slotsto prevent vibration of said 1,064,843 4 Marsh June 17, 1913 booksagainst said pins. 1,225,234 Fox May 8, 1917 ROBERT H. MCMURTRIE.1,365,409 James et a1 Jan. 11, 1921

